Future of former HES property

What to do with former HES?

                                                                                                   FACTS
-The Town is budgeting $115,000 in the upcoming budget for the basic maintenance of HES for the next year.  
-The Capital budget includes $400,000 for a new roof. 
-The Town has $480,000 in state funding for a new roof and playground. 
-The inefficient oil-fired boilers are nearing the end of their useful life and there is no central air conditioning.  
-The property has been listed for sale or lease on Loop Net, a nationwide commercial listing site, for 2 years with no serious interest.  
-The HES building is 45,000 sq.ft. It is made up of individual classrooms, a gym, library administrative offices and a multi-purpose room.
-A town of Haddam’s size will never need a 45,000 sq.ft. building. 
-Utilizing the building for other purposes is challenging due to the extent and cost of renovations.  
-The “old section” is 12,000 sq.ft. of classrooms and 8,000 sq.ft  of library, multi-purpose room and the former principal office.  
-The current Senior Center, Community Center and Town Hall Annex are approximately 6,000 sq.ft. These facilities are inadequate for a town of Haddam’s size.
-At this point there is no funding allocated for a senior/community center.

The town needs to make decisions before spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new roof. This is only the first step in the process. We would appreciate your responses to the following questions. Thank you
1.Put a new roof on the entire building. Build a park in the area of the former playscape with remaining funds? Eventually renovate the old section for senior/community center.

Thoughts to Consider - Continue paying $115,000 per year for maintenance of a mostly vacant building.  Hope to find a use for the remainder of the building to off set costs. The cost of this option approximately $880,000.
(Required.)
2.Demolish the entire building and develop a first-rate town park, with $480,000 in state grant. Reserve a site for a new Senior/Community Center?

Thoughts to Consider - The $400,000 in the capital line should cover the cost of demolition.  The cost to renovate existing may be comparable or more than the cost to build a new energy efficient Senior/Community Center.  A portion of the $115,000 could be used for annual park maintenance and programming.
(Required.)
3.Demolish the two (2) story classroom section behind the gym and use that land for an expanded town park, put a new roof on the original school and eventually use for a Senior / Community Center?

Thoughts  to consider - $300,000 from the capital line should cover the cost of demolition leaving $580,000 for roof and park development. There should be a reduction in annual maintenance costs. There is little sense to heating, maintaining and putting a new roof on a portion of the building the town may never use.
(Required.)
Current Progress,
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